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| Down Under |
| Islamic Extremists in Australia |
| 2005-08-03 |
| Dozens of Islamic extremists are involved in terrorist cells in Australia, the federal police commissioner confirmed Wednesday after a former spymaster claimed it was only a matter of time before an attack in Australia. Michael Roach, a senior official who recently retired from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, said Australia is facing an imminent risk of a terrorist attack and has called for more extreme counterterrorism powers. He said Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are home to Islamic extremists who have received specialized training from terrorist groups overseas. "Perhaps the number is around 50 or 60 in Australia that are working in separate cells," Roach told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. late Tuesday. "The threat is real. It's a matter of when this (an attack) will happen." The would-be terrorists had developed a high degree of precision in their methods of assault, Roach said. Mick Keelty, the commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, confirmed Roach's allegations about the number of suspected terrorists operating in Australia, saying the figures were "not news to the intelligence community." "We are focused on the people who we are aware have trained overseas, we are focused on the people who we know have a propensity to do something wrong. We're not focused on the Islamic community," he said. He also said Australian police and intelligence agencies are reviewing their counterterrorism powers after the July terrorist attacks on London's public transport system. "The reality is this is a moving feast — we are challenged by different moves by the terrorist groups, by each interest group, every time they attack," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Just a matter of time. They'd only want to hit sydney, no point hitting anywhere else. Sydney is the beating heart of Australia. |
| Posted by: anon1 2005-08-03 11:48 |